


Wake Up

by sasha_b



Series: Live By The Sword [74]
Category: King Arthur (2004), Original Work
Genre: Angst, M/M, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 09:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21176933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasha_b/pseuds/sasha_b
Summary: Guinevere tells Arthur what happened.





	Wake Up

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the midst of _Live By The Sword v2._

_Arthur._

_Arthur...Arthur?_

_Hey, Castus!_

_Arthur - wake up._

_Where are you going, Arthur? The door's this way. Aren't you coming with me?_

_Arthur?_

"Mr. Castus?"

Arthur's eyes snapped fully open, and he tried to sit up quickly, but the multiple cords and monitors attached to his body wouldn't allow that. He hissed in pain, his head throbbing and his throat burning like it had been slashed with a sword. If he could imagine what that felt like.

"Lay down, sir. You're at Mercy General, Mr. Castus. You had surgery to repair a wound in your neck - with time, you'll be fine."

The concerned face of the ... nurse? loomed over him, and finally came into focus. Arthur lay back down slowly, and the woman bustled around him, checking his IV and the other things stuck onto him.

He tried to nod, but that made him dizzy. Arthur mimed the act of drinking, and the nurse held a cup out to him that he sipped from slowly.

"Thank you," he managed to croak. His memory was hazy - how had he gotten the wound? Had he been mixed up in some kind of riot mess?

He suddenly flashed on Dagonet and Tristan's faces, sweaty behind their riot gear. He could feel the weight of his own helmet, and the heft of Excalibur in his hand. The sound of his radio was sharp in his ear, and the sounds of gunfire popping nearby echoed in the small alley the three of them waited in.

What were they waiting for?

"...sir? Mr. Castus," the nurse was saying again. Arthur shook his head and blinked.

"There's a lady here to see you."

The door opened as the woman spoke and Guinevere rushed into the room, her face blotchy and red, her eyes the brightest Arthur had ever seen them. She sniffled and sat on his bed, then apparently couldn't stand it and flung her arms around him.

"Be careful, miss," the nurse admonished gently, "he does still have stitches."

"What? Oh, right - sorry, Arthur," Gwen stumbled over her words, and Arthur wondered for a moment if she was drunk. Maybe she's just upset about something. _This is a hospital, after all...._

_How the hell did I get here?_

The nurse left them alone, telling Arthur she'd be back in a few moments to check on him, with his doctor.

Gwen stared at him once the woman had left, multiple conflicting emotions crossing her face as Arthur watched her. He tried to figure out just why she'd look like that, but his memory - damn. It wasn't cooperating with him. He was still feeling light headed and he needed answers before he got really tired again.

"Gwen," he said, taking her hand slowly, not moving too quickly so he wouldn't feel dizzy again. He coughed and Gwen handed him the cup of water, waiting while he took a sip.

"Arthur," she said before he could speak, "what happened?" Her voice was crackly and distant, and watching her eyes, Arthur could swear he saw anger in them.

"What happened with what, Gwen?" he repeated tiredly. "You'll have to forgive me, but my memory is a little hazy...."

He broke off and looked at his hand that still rested in hers.

_None of this is your fault._

"Wait," he said suddenly, panic filling his tone. He snapped his head up to stare into Guinevere's eyes. She frowned, and the expression was so familiar he was jarred into a sense of _timelessness_ that woke his sleepy memory -

\- that dusty warehouse, the pigeons nesting there taking flight at his unwelcome intrusion -

\- the sweat rolling down the side of his face, the curly brown hair limp in the heat, his clothing hanging too big _ that's my shirt_ \- his badge glowing in the gloom of the building -

\- the two guns in his hands flashing like quicksilver -

\- so much blood. On his chest, his face, his lips, on Arthur's pants, on his fingers, his skin, everywhere -

\- His fingers on Arthur's face, his mouth spewing red -

\- His bright brown eyes watching Arthur from behind an array of medical people, a smile that was almost hidden by the plastic oxygen mask -

"NO."

"Arthur, what?" Gwen was shaking his arm, and he looked at her, and he saw her brother in her eyes.

"Where is he?"

Guinevere's brows relaxed, and her lips trembled. She touched Arthur's hand, sliding her fingers into it and gripping hard. He jerked away, the line from his IV flying through the air before settling onto the bed again.

"Guinevere. Where is he?" he asked again, his tone dark and rough, his face feeling hot and stiff.

She looked anywhere but at Arthur.

"He was in surgery for a long time," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "You were out before he was. The doctors did a lot," she kept going, sounding like a robot that had no off switch.

"No. No, no no," Arthur interrupted. "He was fine. He was breathing. I saw the EMT's load him into the bus - they were only a few minutes from the ER..." he stopped and met her gaze again.

_Not your fault. I'll love you forever._

"Gwen - what - where is he?" The last word rose an octave and Arthur felt his eyes burn. His expression cracked and without meaning to, he allowed a few tears to leak down his face.

She just shook her head.

_Oh, God. Oh, God, no._

There were a few people in the ICU waiting room, and when the broken, raw scream echoed down the hall, one of the women looked at her husband, and silently took his hand in hers.

**Author's Note:**

> I had sworn I'd posted this. Whoops. 
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who reads/comments on this verse. xo


End file.
